Matt Damon seems to be becoming the 'go-to' actor when seeking a believable science fiction character: someone in a near-real scenario, perhaps with a science qualification, but close enough to an Everyman to be empathetic (see him in 'Interstellar' and 'Elysium'). 'The Martian' is further evidence of Damon's departure from action man (e.g. the Bourne movies) into more interesting territory. Looking at his back catalogue, the signs have always been there, but his additional years seem to endow him with a gravity, world experience and a deftness for comedy that were missing in his earlier films (e.g. he is believable as a relatively young but aware politician in 'The Adjustment Bureau').
Ridley Scott has ensured that Damon has every chance to demonstrate his flair for comedy in what is a very desperate scenario. He has got the balance between tension and light relief spot on in his latest sci-fi creation.
Scott's love for stunning visuals also embues the film: we see a lot of Damon (astronaut Mark Watney) driving across vast, beautifully rendered, Martian landscapes in his Martian Rover. A lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching him solve the different puzzles that threatened his existence. The science behind every solution is explained, but never in a way that was too technical for me (someone who renounced sciences at the first opportunity at secondary school) to understand.
Cue more pictures of the Rover driving across Mars.
Although it was unclear if Damon had physically altered his body to demonstrate the deterioration Watney experiences the longer he stays on Mars, or if this was done digitally, the eye for such detail is impressive. I was also exactly the target demographic for the soundtrack that comprised the songs of my youth (the song used at the start of the end credits is the ONLY reasonable song choice).
The action deftly intercuts back to his fellow astronauts returning from Mars and his NASA colleagues on earth. I especially liked Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean, and the tension but mutual respect central to their characters' relationship. Nice 'Lord of the Rings' in-joke too.
Did I mention the shots of Watney driving the Rover across Martian landscapes? It seems that Ridley thinks we can never get too much of them.
Many of the secondary characters are fleshed out sufficiently for us to be interested in them - quite a feat considering the pivotal role that Damon plays in the movie's action.
Following his recent Oscar-related success in '12 Years A Slave', Chiwetel Ejiofor gets an 'And...' credit. He is good as the character who sits at the centre of and links together the drama back on earth. Nothing too flashy; underplayed and believable. Indeed, this describes many of the supporting cast.
Meanwhile, the Martian Rover drives on.
I enjoyed the film - it was more a solid effort than a Ridley Scott masterpiece (this was no 'Bladerunner' or 'Alien'). However, the last fifteen minutes undermined the lightness of tone, deftness of touch and mastery of action set-pieces exhibited so far by the actors and director alike. Even by the standards of the unreal world created, it was impossible to suspend disbelief during the film's climax.
An entertaining, if not particularly ground-breaking film, 'The Martian' should probably have been called 'Driving across Mars'.